Crayton believes that Sam’s sexual orientation was hardly a secret among NFL teams, which thoroughly research every draft prospect inside and out.

“It was not a secret to the NFL. It was a secret to America. Other people that did not know him — that’s the only people it was a secret to.”

So why the announcement? If his teammates and the NFL were aware of his sexual orientation, did America really need to know?

Crayton thinks the admission will ultimately hurt the NFL because the games will no longer be just about football.

“Now, all the NFL is going to be talked about is the first openly gay NFL player and all that attention that’s going to come with it. It’s not even going to be about football anymore,” said Crayton.

“Whatever he does on that team or whatever that team is doing — every time he makes a play, the announcers going to open with ‘Michael Sam on the play, the first openly gay player…’ Who gives a care about him being the first openly gay player when it comes to playing football?”

Crayton says that he played with a number of guys during his 9-year career that he believed to be gay, and it didn’t bother him.

“Guys that I played with that we all thought were [gay] — it did not matter to us because at the end of the day, can he play football and get out there and help us win games — that’s all that matters.”

So will Sam be welcomed into an NFL locker room? That depends, according to Crayton.

“It’s going to have to be a team with a veteran locker room that can divert the attention of him and be in full support of him,” said Crayton.

“Some guys will, and some won’t. That’s just the facts of human nature. That’s the facts of the NFL.”